What do you love most about being an agronomist? Working with farming businesses to achieve their goals and improve year on year, and to be part of the most innovative and advanced agriculture sector in the world.

How do you see the future of agriculture and agronomy? Agriculture will be the driving force of Australia's economy going forwards, as well as a critical industry to ensure the food and fibre security for both Australia and helping supply the rest of the world. Agronomy will also play a vital role in ensuring the natural resources and inputs that we are using are sustainable and profitable for the long-term.

What top three tips would you give to an agronomist just starting out in the industry?

Create a network of people that you are comfortable with that you can turn to for help and guidance. Find people that you can relate to, that inspire you and that leave you feeling energised, and don’t worry if they're not from your industry. Use this network to enable you to research and actually make decisions, not umm and ahh, but bite the bullet and commit to an educated decision.

Don’t be afraid to ask the dumb questions and to push the boundaries. Sometimes it’s the “dumb question” or the uncomfortable situation that you find yourself in that unlocks a whole new world of excitement, drive and achievements.

Take time for you. This means leave time to jump onboard the overseas trip that pops up, the training course or industry scholarship application, the netball game, the one you love. Personal and professional development keep you relevant, downtime keeps you happy. Finding this balance will help to keep you fresh and excited about your job.